September 15, 2013

Today was the first day of Balavihar for 2013-14.  We started the year on an auspicious note.

Today in Balvihar, we learned about Pooja, and the steps that are taken to perform one.  We did a Pooja today in class. The first step in performing any Pooja is devata avahanam, or inviting the lord. After that, you must offer him a seat, called asanam. Then we must wash the lord washing the feet, padyam, and washing hands, arghyam. Now the lord can’t go thirsty, so we must offer him a drink, achamanam.  Then the lord must take a bath, snanam. Then we must offer Prasad and sweets to the lord, panchamirtam. We then have to offer clothes to the lord, vastram. The next few steps involve the placing of ashes, sandalwood, rice, garlands, and incense to the lord, bhasma, gandam, akshata, pushpam, and dhupam respectively.  Then we offer light to the lord, dheepam. Then for the closing of the Pooja, we give food, naivadyam, and finally we perform the closing prayers, aarti. 

- Pranav Ramesh